Babur, in his memoirs Babur Nama, observed several unique aspects of agricultural life in northern India. He was struck by the mobility of rural settlements — villages and towns could be depopulated within a day and a half, and new settlements could be established just as quickly using abundant khas-grass and wood to construct huts.

Another striking feature was that crops were rain-grown, eliminating the need for farmers to dig water channels. Babur found it remarkable that autumn crops grew from the downpour of rains, and spring crops grew even without rainfall.

He also noted the use of irrigation devices like buckets and wheels, which were employed specifically for watering young trees and orchards, as running water was scarce in the level lands of Hindustan despite the abundance of cultivated fields.